“Then go and get Mr. Potter, and the Weasley kids. They might be able to bring her back. Oh and Hagrid please don’t inform them of her parents untimely demise.”

“Albus, can you tell what’s wrong?”

“Yes and no Minerva. There is nothing wrong with her physically, but it seems that she has simply retreated. Though to retreat this deep is anything but simple I must tell you .”

Krum was the only one who knew just how true this was. He hasn’t removed his hand from her shoulder, actually he now had both hands on them. He didn’t want Hagrid to come back with Potter and the Weasley chits in tow. Why would they be able to bring her back if he hadn’t?

“Professor,” Tonks had finally decided to join in the conversation. Getting up from her seat by the window, and leaving Lupin and Moody there still discussing the likely-hood of the Grangers accident being just that an accident. She walked over to the desk as she continued to speak, “Professor Dumbledore if she has retreated back into herself then can’t you well follow her?”

Dumbledore seemed to think about this for a minute. The very thought of having this old man in Hermionny’s head disgusted Krum. He knew that Hermionny respected him, and was scared to think about how she would react to finding Dumbledore in her mind. But before he could voice this worry… “Albus.”

Krum heard Snape’s break through and cut him off. “By now Hagrid has reached the students and told them about Miss. Granger’s… Predicament. Perhaps you should just bypass being careful and legiminse her.” He suggested with the same emotion that one would use asking for the bowl of potatoes to be passed during dinner.

“Why You…”

“Now Minerva, I’m sure that he is just trying to be helpful” Dumbledore forced out over Minerva’s own voice while Tonks was grabbing her wand from her. The look Snape received from Dumbledore could have melted an ice sculpture on New Years Ever in Alaska.

“I believe he’s right Albus.” Moody decided to stay seated as he addressed the group. “The last thing we need is for Potter to see her like this. Why don’t you send Minerva down to intercept them.”

“You may be right Moody, though I do hate doing it. Minerva please inform them that Ms. Granger is fine and will be taking the rest of the week off, but they can see her in a day or so.” Once Professor McGonagall had left Albus set in front of Hermione. Her eyes were open rarely blinking if blinking at all. ‘Well at least I won’t have to fight to get in’ he thought. Then he whispered the last words he ever thought that he would have to say to another student “Legilimency”

Dumbledore wasn’t sure what he expected to find but it sure wasn’t this. Hermione was living her experience of learning she was a witch over again in her mind. This was the day Minerva had knocked on her door and handed her her acceptance letter.

Since he hadn’t been there he didn’t know how her family had reacted . But seeing this he felt pleased that the Grangers seemed excited for Hermione. Now memories flashed thourhg her mind one of them was at the zoo. Through her he watched Harry talking to the python beyond the glass. He felt her fear as she understood that it was the python speaking to the boy that she could understand not someone that was hiding. And when the galls vanished he felt her need to run away. Not from the python itself, but from what it was saying.

Next he saw her last summer home. Bits of her private tutelage with Mr. Krum to her baking cookies with her mum. He saw her introduce Krum to her muggle friends. He saw him try to kiss her and witnessed her refusal and his disappointment. He saw her parents asking her if she wanted to go with them to the Americas for the year delaying her return to school. He watched in amazement as she told them the reasons why she had to return to school on time. The most important one to her seemed to be Harry’s need for her to keep him straight. For her to not leave him.

Then flash back to a memory of her finding Harry crying out in his sleep. Telling someone to stop. Antoher memory of watching Harry watch Sirius fall into the veil. One where Harry was telling her to go back for Ron, and get help as he drank from a vial and slipped through the purple flames to meet with Professor Quirell and Voldemort.

Then one last memory escaped her. She was saying goodbye to her parents. Hugging them and kissing them both before turning and walking towards Harry and Ron.

As Dumbledore left her mind it hit him. This was her last memory of her parents, and she had chosen to help keep Harry safe rather than stay with them. What would this mean for his Golden Trio? How would his Golden Boy take to the news that he was the reason she had stayed behind? He decided that he must keep this secret from Harry no matter what it might cost Miss.Granger.